Bell lives with her husband, Roger Kishi, in Cumberland, British Columbia. She previously served as vice-president of the B.C. Government and Service Employees Union. She is a member of the Social Planning and Research Council of B.C. and she has served on the social justice committee of the B.C. Federation of Labour. She is also a member and volunteer with the World Community Development Education Society, Co-Development Canada, the Comox Valley Coalition to Save Social Programs and the Comox Valley Women to Women Global Strategies.